HARIYO BAN PROGRAM Annual Performance Report 1 October 2011– 30 September 2012 (Cooperative Agreement No: AID-367-A-11-00003) Submitted to: THE UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID) NEPAL MISSION Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, Nepal Submitted by: Judy Oglethorpe, Chief of Party, Hariyo Ban Program WWF in partnership with CARE, FECOFUN and NTNC P.O. Box 7660, Kathmandu Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Nepal 31 October 2012 Resubmitted 31 December 2012 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 1. INTRODUCTION 6 2. GOAL AND OBJECTIVES 6 3. OVERVIEW OF BENEFICIARIES AND STAKEHOLDERS 7 4. WORKING AREAS 8 5. MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE REPORTING PERIOD 9 5.1 START-UP ACTIVITIES 9 5.1.1 Staff recruitment, induction and mobilization 9 5.1.2 Vehicle and equipment purchase 10 5.1.3 Launch of Hariyo Ban Program 10 5.1.4 Program inception workshops at the landscape level 10 5.1.5 District level stakeholders orientation and consultation workshops 10 5.1.6 Orientation on financial, administrative and compliance processes 11 5.1.7 Operationalizing Hariyo Ban Program Committees 11 5.2 PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTING THE ANNUAL WORK PLAN 13 5.2.1 Biodiversity Conservation 13 5.2.1.1 Sub-IR 1.1 : Threats to focal species reduced 13 5.2.1.2 Sub IR 1.2 : Threats to targeted landscapes reduced 18 5.2.1.3 Sub-IR 1.3: Internal Governance of Community Groups Responsible for Ecosystem Management Strengthened 21 5.2.1.4 Sub IR 1.4: Income from sustainable sources of livelihoods for forest dependent communities increased 27 5.2.1.5 Sub IR 1.5: Creation, amendment and enforcement of biodiversity policies and strategies supported 29 5.2.2 IR 2: Sustainable Landscape Management 35 5.2.2.1 Sub-IR2.1: Analysis, formulation and execution of REDD+ policies and strategies supported 36 5.2.2.2 Sub IR 2.2: Capacity for forest inventory and GHG monitoring, and equitable benefit sharing developed 39 5.2.2.3 Sub IR 2.3 Drivers of deforestation and forest degradation analyzed and addressed 41 5.2.2.4 Sub-IR2.4 Payments for carbon credits including other ecosystem services tested and expanded 46 5.2.3 Climate Change Adaptation 50 IR-3: The ability of human and ecological communities to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change increased 50 5.2.3.1 Sub IR 3.1 : Government and civil society understanding of climate change vulnerability and gender-equitable and socially inclusive adaptation practices increased 51 5.2.3.2 Sub IR 3.2: Pilot demonstration actions for vulnerability reduction conducted and expanded 56 5.2.3.3 Sub IR 3.3: Participatory and simplified system for vulnerability monitoring established 62 5.2.3.4 Sub IR 3.4: Creation, amendment and execution of adaptation policies and strategies supported 63 5.3 PROGRESS ON CROSS CUTTING THEMES 68 5.3.1 Gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) 68 5.3.2 Livelihoods 70 5.3.3 Governance 71 5.4 CONTRIBUTION OF HARIYO BAN PROGRAM IN THE IMPLEMENTATION, REVIEW AND FORMULATION OF GON STRATEGIES, POLICIES AND PLANS 71 5.5 OVERARCHING THEMES 72 5.5.1 Overarching Studies 72 5.6 MONITORING & EVALUATION 73 5.7 COMMUNICATIONS 77 5.8 DOCUMENTATION 79 5.9 TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING 79 6. COORDINATION 79 7. WINDOWS OF OPPORTUNITY 80 8. MANAGEMENT REPORT 81 9. INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAMINATION 83 10. OPERATING ENVIRONMENT 83 11. LESSONS LEARNED 84 12. FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES 85 13. PROSPECTS FOR NEXT YEAR 86 ANNEXES (Annexes 1-5 and 14 are in this document; Annexes 6-11 are in separate documents) Annex 1 : Geographic coverage of Hariyo Ban Program in year 1 Annex 2 : List of Hariyo Ban Program staff Annex 3 : Composition and TOR of Committees under Hariyo Ban Program Annex 4 : Site specific threats for different corridors/bottlenecks under TAL and CHAL Annex 5 : Details of Local Resource Person developed by Hariyo Ban Program Annex 6 : ISAS (2012). A compendium of reading materials: Summer School in Climate Change Adaptation Annex 7 : NTNC (2012). Progress Report on Rhino Count Method validation in Chitwan National Park and Status and Distribution of Elephant Population in TAL Annex 8 : FECOFUN (2012). Community Forestry Operation Plan Preparation Checklist Annex 9 : FECOFUN (2012). Checklist for Community Forest Users Group constitution preparation Annex 10 : Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (2012). Chief Executive Officer Hiring Guidelines Annex 11 : Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (2012). Framework Structure for Nepal's REDD + Strategy Annex 12 : Contribution of the Hariyo Ban Program to the implementation, review and formulation of GON Strategies, Policies and Plans in Year 1 Annex13 : Progress on Performance Monitoring Plan Year 1 Annex 14 : International travel undertaken during September 2011 to September 2012 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 : Number of CLACs established and operationalized in TAL and CHAL Table 2 : Governance status of different CFUGs Table-3 : Key actions identified by CFUGs during governance assessment Table 4 : Summary of Progress in Biodiversity Conservation Component Table 5 : Key drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in different physiographic zone Table 6 : Number of CFOPs planned for renewal in Hariyo Ban working sites Table 7 : Summary of progress in Sustainable Landscape Management component Table 8 : Summary of rapid vulnerability assessment Table 9 : Vulnerable Communities in TAL and CHAL Table 10 : Number of CLACs established and operationalized; and LRPs mobilized in TAL and CHAL Table 11 : Summary of Progress in Climate Change Adaptation Component Table 12 : Progress on key indicators LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 : Working Areas in TAL Figure 2 : Working Areas in CHAL Figure 3 : PGA at Shandhe Raniswara CFUG, Tanahu Figure 4 : Proportion of households under different well-being status LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ACA Annapurna Conservation Area ACAP Annapurna Conservation Area Project AEPC Alternative Energy Promotion Center ANSAB Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bio-resources ARS Agricultural Research Service ASD Alliance for Social Development AWP Annual Work Plan BaNP Banke National Park BCA Blackbuck Conservation Area BCT Brahman Chhetri Thakuri BNP Bardia National Park BSP Biogas Support Program BZ Buffer Zone BZCFUG Buffer Zone Community Forestry User Group BZUC Buffer Zone Users Committee CAMC Conservation Area Management Committee CAP Community Adaptation Plan CAPA Community Adaptation Plan of Action CARE Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere CBAPU Community Based Anti-Poaching Unit CBO Community Based Organization CBRP Corridors and Bottlenecks Restoration Project CCA Climate Change Adaptation CCC Cluster Level Coordination Committee CCN Climate Change Network CEO Chief Executive Officer CF Community Forest CFCC Community Forest Coordination Committee CFDG Community Forestry Development Guidelines CFOP Community Forest Operational Plan CFUG Community Forestry User Group CHAL Chitwan Annapurna Landscape CLAC Community Learning and Action Center CMDN Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal CNP Chitwan National Park COFSUN Community Forestry Support Network CRT Centre for Rural Technology CSO Civil Society Organization CTEVT Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training CVCA Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment DADO District Agriculture Development Office DANAR Dalit Alliance for Natural Resources Nepal DDC District Development Committee i DFO District Forest Office DFRS Department of Forest Research and Survey DFSCC District Forestry Sector Coordination Committee DLSO District Livestock Services Office DNA Deoxyribonucleic Acid DNPWC Department of National Parks & Wildlife Conservation DoF Department of Forests DRR Disaster Risk Reduction DSCO District Soil Conservation Office EC Executive Committee EIA Environment Impact Assessment ER-PIN Emission Reduction Project Idea Note FECOFUN Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal FOP Forest Operational Plan FRA Forest Resource Assessment FY Fiscal Year GCP Global Conservation Program GESI Gender Equality and Social Inclusion GHG Green House Gas GLA Government Line Agency GLOF Glacial Lake Outburst Flood GoN Government of Nepal GPS Global Positioning System HH Household HICAST Himalayan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology HIMAWANTI Himalayan Grassroots Women's Natural Resource Management Association HWC Human Wildlife Conflict ICCA Initiative for Climate Change Adaptation ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development ICS Improved Cooking Stove ICVCA Integrated Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment IDE International Development Enterprises IEE Initial Environmental Examination INEB International Network of Engaged Buddhists INGO International Non-Government Organization IOF Institute of Forestry IR Intermediate Result ISAS International School of Advanced Studies IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature KCA Kanchanjunga Conservation Area LAPA Local Adaptation Plan of Action LCC CRSP Livestock-Climate Change Collaborative Research Support Program LiDAR Light Detection and Ranging LIP Livelihood Implementation Plan LRP Local Resource Person ii MOEST Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology MOFALD Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development MoFSC Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation MRV Monitoring, Reporting and Verification MT Metric Ton MU Mid-Western University NAPA National Adaptation Plan of Action NARC National Agricultural Research Council NBS National Biodiversity Strategy NGO Non-Government Organization NRM Natural Resource Management NTCC National Tiger